God if this album had been out 10 years earlier when me and my mates were smoking quite a lot I’d of never got out of the house!! It’s so chilled and chilling I can just drift off while it plays away in the background. Love the tunes, love the voice, it’s dark but light at the same time, I think?! Anyway a pearl amongst swine!
Joel at the height of his songwriting powers. All the songs are gems and a few are absolute belters! First class.
I’ve only, last 10 years, started listening to The Who and appreciating their music. However good as it is I find this one a bit of a task to be honest. Apart from Pinball Wizard there are not really any songs that stand up on their own without the context of the story of the album. I will stick to Who’s Next I think!
A very pleasant if ultimately forgettable album. Nothing unpleasant but also nothing really new or challenging. Safe music to put on if you don’t want to offend anyone!
Always liked T-Rex, I remember watching his TV show Marc as a kid. He had some fab guests, Bowie springs to mind. He always looked totally wasted!
Very enjoyable listen, has aged well
Can’t believe I’ve never heard of this guy! What a soulful voice, very enjoyable indeed.
Love the Black side written by Freddie, not so keen on the White side written by May
Me and my mates played this to absolute death when it came out! Listening to it now there are some excellent tracks on there but as a whole the album is rather depressing really!
Pleasant enough but a little insipid, no of the tracks were good enough to make me want to come back. If I’m having trouble sleeping I might play it again!
Great album, short but sweet mistakes and all!
Very soulful and some excellent songs
The Metal Gods were with them on this one! Saw them live at Manchester Apollo possibly on the tour for this album. Fab concert, every rock cliche to the MAX!!
Can’t believe I have never listened to this album! Very intense, very clever and very funny in places, I enjoyed it a lot.
Musical maverick, very original, some great songs, but this offering didn’t really do it for me to be honest.
Superb live album, one of the best, that catches Lizzy in their natural habitat, on stage! Probably their best line up and music from their best era of albums, say no more.
Not really my bag Latin music but you can tell this album was made with a lot of joy.
Joel at the height of his songwriting powers. All the songs are gems and a few are absolute belters! First class.
Not bad, 2 singles stand out.
Enjoyed this one a lot. Proper old skool style hip hop. Will listen to this again.
Not for me, apart from Fairytale of New York, all sounded the same!
Very pleasant if a bit samey. Good background music I would say.
I first started listening to Jeff Beck late 70s early 80s when he was doing his jazz fusion stuff, Blow by Blow etc. Only just recently have I listened to his earlier stuff and it’s absolutely fab! Great use of Rod Stewart’s vocals too.
An eclectic mix of slightly weird vocal songs and excellent musicianship. Had to listen to it at least 3 times to get a handle on it but I liked it.
I enjoyed listening to this album but I think I enjoyed reading about his life more! 27 wives? Wow. I shall certainly check so if his other stuff.
Wow an album from 66 years ago, this list isn't very current is it? Interesting to listen to but not really adding a lot to my musical experience to be frank. You can here a slight hint of the blues in there with the hokey cowboy sound though.
2 hours plus of hard rock by a band who you’re not familiar with seemed a pretty daunting task. However the lyrics and quality musicianship made it an interesting experience.
A few years back I had a drunken and slightly heated debate with a mate who said a lot of Bowie songs are shit! My position being that a shit Bowie song is far better than most artists great songs! However on revisiting all Bowie early albums, including this one, I can’t help thinking my mate might of been in to something. There is what can only described as an awful lot of “filler” in between the undoubted classics that we all remember and love so much, food for thought?
Do you know I’d forgotten all about this album! I used to listen to this all the time way back when. Very clever, very musical and very enjoyable, thanks for the reminder!
Pretty good though the bass solos seem to go on forever. There are much better Bill Evan’s albums than this one in my opion.
Much more fun than I thought it would be. Though I can’t understand what they are singing about the rhythms make you feet tap and the singing is infectious.
Enjoyed it if a bit hokey in places, good ol’ boys!
Not really for me this, just a load of mysoginists bitching about each other and talking about their dicks!
Really enjoyed this one, great musicians, great tunes and great vocals!
Really enjoyed this one, but like Rage Against the Machine but with butter melodies, nice
A reasonable album containing an absolute belter, Papa is a rolling stone stands out like a mountain in a field here. What a song, one of the best ever possibly and for that alone this album gets 3 stars.
Excellent, some great tracks on here alright. Not so fond of the super quick fade outs though I guess Bob had said all he needed to say!
Interesting…better than most thrash I’ve heard but prefer my rock of the Deep Purple AC/DC variety!
This is the 3rd Afrobeat album on the list so far and I’m really enjoying them though next time I listen to this I will give th 11 minute drum solo at the end a miss!
Great riffs and solos and some good tunes but the vocals at times are ridiculous !
I’ve only, last 10 years, started listening to The Who and appreciating their music. However good as it is I find this one a bit of a task to be honest. Apart from Pinball Wizard there are not really any songs that stand up on their own without the context of the story of the album. I will stick to Who’s Next I think!
The music is very good but I get what some people say about the singing but that’s just Sioxsie! An excellent debut album to be fair.
A very pleasant and enjoyable listen especially considering the source material. Polly Jean is such a varied artist and I have liked pretty much everything she’s done, some of it is very challenging but that is a good thing, mostly.
Why do we have to hear this before we die? Some of the riffs were pretty awesome but the overall album was tres mal!
Kind of missed these at the time, I remember the hype but never got round to listening for myself. Glad I have now, excellent debut album with some proper earworm tracks! Just downloaded their follow up album so I’ll give that a spin later.
Scar Tissue is a decent enough track but the rest is a load of old cobblers! I like a lot of their stuff but Anthony and Flea have let us and them selves down with this piss poor effort!
A very interesting listen indeed. Some very lovely tunes and singing. Not understanding the language should not be a barrier to enjoying good music and that is certainly the case here. This album is exactly why I signed up for this as I would never have come across it otherwise.
An interesting listen, not convinced by the fake crowd noises, but pretty good overall.
I remember me and mates, we were long haired rockers at the time, taking the piss out of Andy McClusky in a club in Liverpool as we thought Maid of Orleans was “a bit girlie” Oh well sorry Andy it’s actual a pretty good listen.
First Van Morrison album I ever heard and probably still my favourite although the more I listen to Astral Weeks I think it may take over the number one spot! Not a bad track on here and the great ones are truly great. He may be a miserable old duffer who hates the world and everyone in it but boy can he write (and sing) a tune.
Wow never heard of these! I do love a bit of prog rock so I’ll be giving listen another listen or two when I have a bit more time to appreciate it.
Listenable album but Chemical Brothers do it better. A lot of the beats etc sound very similar. It’s ok but not near his best.
A very intriguing album and another I can’t believe is not more widely known and appreciated! I had certainly never heard it before. Ray Davis is a song writin colossos.
A great voice and a few decent tunes but this is not an album that deserves any more attention.
A difficult listen even for a massive Miles fan like myself but well worth it. There is just something so other worldly about the sound that just captivates me.
Excellent jazz, well written and played. A great album for someone whose not familiar with the genre to start with.
Bonham was still alive when I first heard Zeppelin and 45 years later they still leave me wondering what all the fuss is about. I will hear a song of theirs on the radio and think mmm that sounds alright I’ll give the album a spin but always come away feeling unsatisfied!
Is this the same song being played for an hour and a bit? Never did really “get” The Stones to be honest. OK they did some great tunes but not on this album!
Weirdly I have this album on vinyl but I have no recollection of buying it! What I can’t believe is it’s nearly 30 years old! It’s aged pretty well and is as enjoyable bit of Britpop as you’ll get.
“Kick out the style bring back the jam” as Tears for Fears once sang! 3 maybe 4 top tunes on here, some pointless musical noodling and a God awful rap about sums this up. Not Wellers finest but a brave change in direction from a great British musician/songwriter.
I was 16 when this came out and me and most of my mates looked like these boys. Music from the 80s is much maligned but I can tell you coming of age, listening to and going out dancing to this sort of music was ace! It was all quite joyful and a bit frivolous but great fun too. If you wanted to be a bit more serious you had The Bunnymen and New Order to keep you in line. I’m not sure if this would be an album I would necessarily say you HAD to listen to but one you SHOULD listen to as it’s good fun and will make you smile and it might just make you dance around your living room as it did with me! Enjoy!
My father in law used to see these when he was young and said they were a decent pub covers band. My mum said pretty much the same about The Beatles when she saw them at The Cavern. The big difference being The Beatles went on to be one of the best and most influential recording artists of all time and The Stones pretty much carried on doing this same old shit for the next 50 years!
Short and sweet but very enjoyable, that’s the way to do covers!
A bit like aural wallpaper this one! I had it on my headphones while I read the BBC news and apart from Invincible, which I recognised, I was not distracted by it at all.
Very enjoyable, but then I’ve always had a soft spot for Bollywood movies as there was always one on late Sunday night when I got home from a 4 hour train ride back from seeing my girlfriend! Again I would question whether this was an “essential” album or if it were even the best of this genre but it made a pleasant change.
Me and my mates used to listen to Zappa a lot as teenagers thinking he was just like us. Imagine our disappointment when we discovered he was an anti-drug teatotaller! Oh well his music is pretty amazing as is its scope. Great guitarist too.
I have only recently began, last 2 years, to listen to Cohen and I think he is brilliant. This album however is not my favourite although still enjoyable.
Not bad, she knows what she’s doing and pretty impressive guest list too
A very intriguing listen with some great tunes and some challenging lyrics. Not what I expected from Randy Newman, excellent.
Amazing how short albums were back in the 60s and 70s but at least you don’t get a load of dross. This has my favourite S&G song, America on it so big plus for that alone. Bit disjointed but excellent in parts. A good listen.
This was the first REM Album I ever bought/listened to and I’d forgotten just how bloody good it is! Wow, superb and brings back a lot of memories. I like Stripes “whiney” voice and the “pretentious” mandolins so there!!
Always liked Solar even though I only understand every other fourth word! Not heard this one before though tres bon.
I listened to this album a few times over 25 years ago then never thought about it again to be honest. Listening again now it’s not at all what I remember, it’s actually a lot better than I originally thought and maybe I should of listened to it more often. You can certainly hear who they were influenced by (Beatles?) and who was influenced by them (Pretty much every guitar based band since). I shall investigate the other albums I think.
Heard it many times before, not his best but still pretty good.
Once I got used to the singers voice I actually really enjoyed this album by a band who would otherwise have passed me by.
A lot more mellow than the Bands name would suggest, in fact so relaxing I fell asleep towards the end and had to listen to it again. Pleasant is the best word I can think of to describe this album.
Big band jazz is not my favourite kind of jazz but the Count is the master I really thought this was a good listen.
Not a massive fan of the Boss but some decent tunes on here to be fair.
Very aggressive and exciting with fast beats that drive the whole thing along, good stuff!
As with all there albums there’s the hits and then there’s the filler. The filler on this one is a bit poor but the hits are top notch so difficult to really rate this one!
I remember these from back in the day, the fuss being “wow black rock band” people obviously forgetting Jimi Hendrix and Phil Lynott methinks! Still sounds pretty good all these decades later. Enjoyed it.
I don’t mind Christmas songs per se but a whole album of them?! Nah
Wow absolutely ace! I liked their singles when they came out boy somehow never got round to listening to the whole album, did I miss out?!
De liteful! Back when hip hop was fun to listen to and a bit more upbeat. Not full of the N word and slagging off former friends or associates, a total lack of bitches, superb!
I am more familiar with Fat of the Land but this is banging too.
I enjoyed this album of tunes by the bastard offspring of Judas Priest and Black Sabbath a lot more than the opening riff would have me believe. Not something I will return to again and again but I can get what people see in this sort of music.
Absolute classic, a singer who lets you hear all her emotional turmoil with every note, the band are too notch aswell.
Who doesn’t enjoy a bit of improvisional blues? Quite a lot of people by the looks of it! Anyway I did so there!
I heard their first album ‘77 when I was about 11 or 12 it hadn’t been out long and my mates older brother played it. I instantly liked its “differentness” and I liked Talking Heads ever after. Somehow this one slipped through so great to listen to it now all these years later. I love it!
Easiest 5 stars so far! One of my all time favourite albums I just love it. Still sounds brilliant every time I put it on, which is quite often.
A very pleasant listen!
God don’t he go on?! It’s ok but none of the versions really add anything to the existing studio cuts, so it’s a no from me dog!
Like a lot of people I played this album to death back in the day and haven’t listened to it for years. It still sounds great and I really enjoyed revisiting this one.
Had this album for ages but never really listened to it properly. Of course after the almost perfection of Rumours they were always going to struggle but there is some great stuff on here as well as a lot of nonsense.
A mate of mine used to play these all the time back in the day but to be honest it was just background to us getting stoned and play FIFA on the x Box! I still think it sounds more like background music than something that really grabs your attention, very pleasant all the same.
I’m glad I listened to this in the morning otherwise I wouldn’t of stayed awake past the first track! Utterly pointless, goes nowhere, does nothing to engage, what a load of boring old tosh!
An interesting listen, obviously I’ve heard of Cox and Hole but never got round to listening, not bad at all though I don’t listen to this kind of music much anymore.
God if this album had been out 10 years earlier when me and my mates were smoking quite a lot I’d of never got out of the house!! It’s so chilled and chilling I can just drift off while it plays away in the background. Love the tunes, love the voice, it’s dark but light at the same time, I think?! Anyway a pearl amongst swine!
Great to hear the singles in the context of the whole album. I’ve always liked Declan and still do, great tunes and the attractions really rock on this one, good stuff.
First track annoyed the shit out of me. Second track sounds like Nelly Futado having a fight with Mini Mouse. Third track…fuck this I’m gonna have to skip through this, it’s hideous FFS! No it’s not getting any better, Japanese Boney M ?! OK Paper Planes is just about bearable but only for The Clash sample. This is the worst so far by far, horrendous!
Every song on here is good and a lot of them are great. I was reminded by listening to Green the other week what a fab band REM were and this just cements it.
Not sure about this one, could of been better if it didn’t sound like it was recorded under a duvet! None of the songs really grab the attention or get you wanting more, I kind of just endured it really.
Bloody awful, next!
It’s ok I suppose but nothing really stands out or grabs me to be honest.
Some of the songs on here should easily make this a 5 but then there are a few that would make it a 3 so I’ve split the difference! Opening track is such a tune anything that comes after is going to disappoint to be honest
Their cover of Man who sold the World is one of my favourite covers full stop! I remember watching this on MTV and being blown away by how good they all were. Gave me fresh respect for them as musicians. Still a great listen all these years later.
I bought the box set of all his albums after hearing how he was such an influence on so many artists as was disappointed at first to be honest. But after a few listens I really started to enjoy the music and his weird take on life etc. The other great thing is it’s short and to the point no rambling remixes or alternate versions, they knew how to make albums back then!
I’d managed to get a last minute ticket to see them on the Highway to Hell tour then had to sit at the front of class for a week because I was deaf! I really got into them and then Bon Scott died! So it was with some trepidation I dropped the needle onto this album when it came out. On first listen I hated it to be honest, the riffs were there for sure and the band where as solid as ever, but that voice! Over the years I’ve grown to enjoy this album but as with all AC/DC albums there is a lot of “filler” between the good ones. I stopped buying their albums after this one!
I’ve had this album pretty much since it came out and playing it back I’ve realised that for most of that time I’ve been skipping through and only playing the “good” bits! So it’s like hearing it for the first time and I’m not that impressed to be honest! Of course all the “hits” are there but some of the bits in between aren’t great but to be fair if you crank it up and bang your head about while playing air guitar or drums it’s fuckin’ ace!
I bought this when it came out and played it to death, I guess my teenage self identified in some way with all the angst! Funnily enough I listened to this a few weeks ago for the first time in about 20 years and thoroughly enjoyed it. There are some fillers on here but also some belters and contrary to a lot of people’s opinion the 80s produced some great music especially for us who grew up listening and going out dancing to it. However I did go to see them live and it wasn’t the most riveting performance I ever saw though they did sound pretty good.
A rambling shambles of an album that not even Kashmir can salvage! Didn’t get them back then and still don’t get them now!
I only just listened to this a few days ago after seeing Sabbaths farewell gig in Birmingham on the telly. It sounds as dark, heavy and fantastic as it did 40 odd years ago when I first heard it. Fabulous musicians who know how to play, I always thought Ozzy was the weakest link but I am so used to him now that it couldn’t be any one else! I saw Ozzy live a couple of times but never managed to see Sabbath.
What is it with 70s bands and flutes? Genesis, Jerhro Tull, King Crimson and now this lot! That being said I thoroughly enjoyed this album and played again straight after listening to it the first time.
A very pleasant if ultimately forgettable album. Nothing unpleasant but also nothing really new or challenging. Safe music to put on if you don’t want to offend anyone!
Nile Rogers was the man back then and still is today! Great album of disco tunes with some proper classics.
I’m 2 tracks in and my impression so far is pleasant but nothing yet to make me feel it’s a travesty this album isnt better known. OK I’ve listened to it twice now and I quite like it but I am still not convinced it’s a long lost classic so will rate it accordingly.
I can see what they were doing by moving away from the “commercialism” of Nevermind but a step too far for me!
Easy 5 stars for this one, absolute masterpiece from start to finish! If you only bring out one solo album in your life this is the way to do it! Great soulful, R&B hip hop combo. From the links of school conceit to the songwriting, singing and music not a foot wrong, probably right to not try and follow it up.
His best music since Scary Monsters for me anyway. I was really impressed by how good this was when it came out and listening again now it still impresses.
I do like Roxy Music but also find their early stuff a bit strange at times, especially Ferrys yodelling! Still an enjoyable listen and probably a bit of a surprise for those who think they were all lounge suits and smooth ballads.
Another one of those albums that you forgot just how good it is until you put it on again and think, ah yes now I remember why I bought it! Beautiful harmonies, great melodies and some fab guitar to boot. Absolute peach of a record.
I suppose when you open your album with 3 of your best ever songs the rest may seem a bit lacklustre by comparison but still a bloody good record I enjoyed revisiting.
Love Leonard and love this album, monkey and a plywood violin indeed!
Better than I expected but not for me to be fair.
I grew listening to this album and it’s an easy 5 stars. Not every song is a gem but more hits than misses and Spainish Bombs and Lost in the Supermarket alone deserve the top score! A great mix of musical styles and lyrics, an absolute winner all day long!!
Short but oh so sweet, great album from a great band.
This is completely bonkers, totally nuts and I absolutely love it! Sounds like it’s from the 60s but doesn’t if you get what I mean? Shame they only made the one album but what an album!
I knew and like the opening song but find the rest of the album a bit bewildering and a bit tedious to be honest. I will give it another spin when I have a bit of spare time.
Started off ok but I soon got bored by the lack of any sort of tune or melody. I much prefer old skool hip hop which is actually fun to listen to!
I very much enjoyed this but wouldn’t call it a seminal album that gives The Beatles a run for their money! Would of been a lot better with out the quick fade outs just as things started to get interesting but this was quite common back then. Vocal harmonies are excellent and as a band they really rock, I bet they were good live when they started out.
First listened to this a few years back after hearing them on BBC 6 Music. I really like it and find it quite chilled, never would of guessed they were from Isle of Wight though!
A good solid album with plenty of good tunes, and of course what a voice!
Oh no I thought not another hip hop album but I really enjoyed this one. Back in the day when they still made an effort with tunes and ryhmes. Good effort!
I wouldn’t call this essential but it was not bad and something I wouldn’t of listened to otherwise.
Interesting…some lovely soundscapes on here and some fascinating insights into the mind of our favourite Icelandic pixie but not one to revisit too often!
Started listening and was a bit underwhelmed then something happened about half way through and I started to pay attention. I think I liked it but will give it another spin to verify.
Oh no not more hip hop! But hold on it’s Jay Z it’ll be good right? Wrong, say old shit, bitches this motherfucker that! At leat he didn’t ask me suck his dick!!
A bit bland and generic 80s sounding for me. Not really proper JKH to be fair. OK so his retirement was sorted with this one and it was probably a big lovefest collaborating with all the other musos but it’s still BORING!!
Ok don’t think I was in the right mood for this one so I’ll give it another listen on another day.
Nothing I can say about this album that hasn’t already said so I won’t bother! Easy 5